Therapeutic, V.

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Segmental resection of the mandible leads to significant patient morbidity. Loss of mandibular support to the teeth, tongue and lip causes dysfunctional mastication, swallowing, speech, airway protection and oral competence. Patients also suffer disfigurement following segmental mandibulectomy because the mandible is an important aesthetic landmark. The degrees to which dysfunction and disfigurement occur depend both on the location of the mandibular segment removed and the amount of surrounding soft tissue excised. Between January 1985 and December 2004, 780 fibula osteoseptocutaneous flaps have been used for head and neck reconstruction at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan. The fibula flap has proven to be the bony flap of choice because it has a lengthy bicortical segment of bone available, a reasonably long vascular pedicle, large diameter vessels, good bone quality, and is easily contoured with multiple osteotomies. The flap can be harvested while ablation is being performed. In addition, a reliable, mobile, thin skin component can always be included to address the soft tissue reconstructive requirements. A chimeric design employing a portion of the soleus muscle can provide further reconstructive options. Ideally complete rehabilitation of the mandible involves placement of titanium osseointegrated implants, which allow dental restoration. Primary placement of implants is preferred in patients without cancer. Selection of candidates to receive osseointegrated implants is paramount. The temporomandibular joint remains a challenge to reconstruct adequately.

Therapeutic, III.

BackgroundThe objective of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a postoperative clinical care pathway for patients undergoing major head and neck oncologic surgery with microvascular reconstruction.MethodsThis is a comparative trial of a prospective treatment group managed on a postoperative clinical care pathway and a historical group managed prior to pathway implementation. Effectiveness outcomes evaluated were total hospital days, return to OR, readmission to ICU and rate of pulmonary complications. Costing perspective was from the government payer.Results118 patients were included in the study. All outcomes demonstrated that the postoperative pathway group was both more effective and less costly, and is therefore a dominant clinical intervention. The overall mean pre- and post-pathway costs are $22,733 and $16,564 per patient, respectively. The incremental cost reduction associated with the postoperative pathway was $6,169 per patient.ConclusionImplementing the postoperative clinical care pathway in patients undergoing head and neck oncologic surgery with reconstruction resulted in improved clinical outcomes and reduced costs.

Late mobilization of free flap patients is an independent risk factor for developing postoperative pneumonia. Earlier mobilization does not increase flap failure rates, is safe, and should be strongly considered in all free flap patients to reduce pulmonary complications.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) has been shown to be an effective treatment for the spasticity of cerebral palsy, but few studies have addressed specifically the side effects of the procedure. A retrospective study was performed to determine the frequency and nature of complications in 158 children who had undergone SDR at British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital from 1987 to 1996. Intraoperative, preoperative (immediate postoperative until discharge at approximately 7 days) and postdischarge complications occurred in 3.8, 43.6 and 30% of patients, respectively. The most common intraoperative complication was aspiration pneumonia, which was experienced by 2 patients (1.3%). Perioperatively, sensory changes were found in 8.9% of the children, and transient urinary retention in 4.4%. Complications after discharge included back pain starting more than 6 months after surgery in 10.8%, sensory changes in 13.9%, and neurogenic bladder or bowel problems in 12.7%. Persistent sensory changes occurred in 3.8%, were not important functionally, and tended to occur in patients with the largest amount of dorsal root tissue cut. In 8 patients (5.1%), bladder and/or bowel dysfunction attributed to the SDR was present at the latest follow-up, although in only 2 patients (1.3%) this dysfunction was a definite complication of the rhizotomy. The use of pudendal monitoring and/or cutting less than 50% of the S2 roots may have been associated with a lower incidence of long-term sphincter dysfunction. Data about the nature and frequency of complications may result in further modifications to the SDR procedure, and is critical for counseling about SDR and alternative options available for treatment of the child with spastic cerebral palsy.

Therapeutic, III.